So I've done a lot of researching and read a lot of write ups and reviews but I think I am the first to have this setup. This weekend, I installed Koni Sport Shocks(for XIs) and B&G S2 Sport Springs (328i) on my 2008 e92. Before I started, the front wheel gap was 26 1/4". After the drop, the front is now at 25" and I'm sure it will drop further as the spring settles in. The B&G S2 are rated for a 1.6 drop (front) and 1.4" in the rear. Installation was easy (I thought) and pretty straight forward. Took about 3-4 hours for the install (including coffee and lunch break). You will need the following tools to do the install:

There are some minor things that won't apply such as on the rear on a e92, the sway bar end link is connected to the wheel assembly and not to the shock like it is on the front.

Some tips:

- When removing the front struts, before you start, spray down the OEM shock with some PB blaster so it can "marinade" in there. This will help/aid in the removal of the OEM strut once you unloosen the pinch bolt.

- You will need at least one spring compressor when you remove the front struts. But to save time, and fatigue from wrenching the compressor, do the following. Position the compressor on the spring and hand tighten. Once it is snugged, place the regular jack underneath the wheel assembly and start to jack the assembly up. This will compress the springs. once the compressor becomes loose, retighten by hand till snug. repeat process like 3 - 4 times until it can't compress no more but not to the point you are jacking up the car. Once the spring is compressed, lower the jack and remove. The spring will be held in place and you can start to remove the strut.

- Before you start to remove the strut, spray down the base of the strut again then give a few taps on both sides with the hammer to help loosen it. Then just turn and twist it off and clean out the assembly.

First Impressions of the shocks/spring combination. Aside for the wheel gap being eliminated, the combination of bothe strut/shock/springs is very smooth and responsive. You can definately tell the difference between the OEM and this setup. I will give some time for the springs to settle and report back with a better evaluation. I will post pics of later on today.

Tell me if you have issues with the Mtech front spoiler and the drop? I did koni's and eibach and im sitting just a tad bit higher. I have an Mtech in the box still that i'm reluctant to put on now due to the front rake.

Tell me if you have issues with the Mtech front spoiler and the drop? I did koni's and eibach and im sitting just a tad bit higher. I have an Mtech in the box still that i'm reluctant to put on now due to the front rake.

I reused everything that came off the original suspension and as it is now, I'm 2 fingers from the tire to the bottom of the wheel well. Like I said before, I'm sure it will drop more as it settles. I haven't had any issues with the M-Tech front lip spoiler but this isn't my first lowered vehicle so I know how to approach inclined surfaces and avoid speed bumps at all costs!

I'll be posting them up soon. It's been raining here off and on and usually is when I get out of work..go figure. Anyway, there is a significant difference between OEM and the drop. On the the day after the install i was able to stick 4 fingers in the gap and now it's a snug 2 finger (That's what she said ) For the rear, started with 3 and now I can barely get 2 in there! (You know what I'm thinking ) In any rate, I'll try to get pictures up soon!

I reused everything that came off the original suspension and as it is now, I'm 2 fingers from the tire to the bottom of the wheel well. Like I said before, I'm sure it will drop more as it settles. I haven't had any issues with the M-Tech front lip spoiler but this isn't my first lowered vehicle so I know how to approach inclined surfaces and avoid speed bumps at all costs!

So you don't think you're riding around on the (front) bumpstops?

edit: to clarify I don't understand how you can drop 2 fingers worth with stock bump stops and critical05 got no drop at all, and had to cut bump stops. Something isn't adding up. Like he said in another post, the non-xi guys using koni yellows + eibach pros or H&R sports need to use e36 M3 stops in front and Z4 rear to avoid riding on the stops. I would assume this applies to all lowering springs.

edit: to clarify I don't understand how you can drop 2 fingers worth with stock bump stops and critical05 got no drop at all, and had to cut bump stops. Something isn't adding up. Like he said in another post, the non-xi guys using koni yellows + eibach pros or H&R sports need to use e36 M3 stops in front and Z4 rear to avoid riding on the stops. I would assume this applies to all lowering springs.

OK first of all, what are you referring to as the front bump stops? When I took off the front strut this is what was there:
Are you referring to part#10? On RealOEM.com that is called "additional Shock absorber, front" So basically, I compressed the ZSP spring, took of the nut (part#3) removed the upper spring plate as well as the boot and the "additional shock absorber" and reinstalled it on the koni.
Why on God's green earth would I not re-use it? Perhaps the other guys that needed to use teh e36 M3 bumpstops had to becasue their car did not come with a ZSP package...mine did. All I know is that I reused what I took off and the car rides incredible now and the ride height is perfect!

Why on God's green earth would I not re-use it? Perhaps the other guys that needed to use teh e36 M3 bumpstops had to becasue their car did not come with a ZSP package...mine did. All I know is that I reused what I took off and the car rides incredible now and the ride height is perfect!

XI does not come with ZSP suspension. It comes with a slightly altered (xi version) of non zsp suspension since the fronts are different struts. But you are right in other regards. I have not heard of anybody requiring the use of e36 bumpstops.

Some cars end up not getting a drop on springs because either somebody installed the shocks/springs backwards, or the spring length is too long to even allow for a drop.

XI does not come with ZSP suspension. It comes with a slightly altered (xi version) of non zsp suspension since the fronts are different struts. But you are right in other regards. I have not heard of anybody requiring the use of e36 bumpstops.

Some cars end up not getting a drop on springs because either somebody installed the shocks/springs backwards, or the spring length is too long to even allow for a drop.

I have a BMW delivery invoice that says otherwise brother. Clearly states under the Optional Information..Code 0ZSP, Description: Sport Package

OK first of all, what are you referring to as the front bump stops? When I took off the front strut this is what was there:
Are you referring to part#10? On RealOEM.com that is called "additional Shock absorber, front" So basically, I compressed the ZSP spring, took of the nut (part#3) removed the upper spring plate as well as the boot and the "additional shock absorber" and reinstalled it on the koni.
Why on God's green earth would I not re-use it? Perhaps the other guys that needed to use teh e36 M3 bumpstops had to becasue their car did not come with a ZSP package...mine did. All I know is that I reused what I took off and the car rides incredible now and the ride height is perfect!

Yes, part #10, it is inside the rubber boot. Also as the previous poster said, you do not have a ZSP suspension, no Xi does. It has an Xi-specific suspension and there is no "sport" version of it, despite common belief otherwise.

Point is many people who are very familiar with the travel limits of their suspensions are needing shorter bumpstops with koni yellows. What I cannot figure out is

a) why you got the drop and don't seem to be riding on the stops &
b) why critical05 did not initially get the drop, but cut his then got the drop

It could be that critical05 did not drive his car around and let it settle before he measured (but I doubt it). BTW this is an ongoing problem with aftermarket suspensions for BMW's, I still have an e36 M3 that I bought off the showroom floor in 1995. When Bilstien first came out with sport shocks for it a year or two later, the bump stops (inside the strut for that design) needed to be trimmed. But no one knew that and for a year or so everyone was wondering why the ride was so stiff.

I have a BMW delivery invoice that says otherwise brother. Clearly states under the Optional Information..Code 0ZSP, Description: Sport Package

I'll take a pic of it and post it up...

You have the sport package, it does not include a sport suspension. The sport package on an Xi is just sport seats and trim. Look it up on realoem.com, and see if you can find different shocks and springs.

The only 335 car on which the sport package changes the suspension is the non-Xi sedan. The non-Xi coupe already has the "sport" suspension standard. You can also tell this from the price for the sport packages on each platform (when you take into account wheels).

OK..so if everything on here is true, why is my suspension considerably lower than before? And when you say "riding on the bump stops" what do you mean by that? IS there a way by looking underneath with the sheels turned out and seeing?

This is my first time dropping a BMW but not my first in dropping a vehicle. It's lunch now so I'll go out and take a look and even take some pics of the drop and post it..

OK..so if everything on here is true, why is my suspension considerably lower than before? And when you say "riding on the bump stops" what do you mean by that? IS there a way by looking underneath with the sheels turned out and seeing?

This is my first time dropping a BMW but not my first in dropping a vehicle. It's lunch now so I'll go out and take a look and even take some pics of the drop and post it..

It's lower because you put in lowering springs. Bump stops are compressible foam, they should not affect the overall drop all that much even if you are riding on them (which is the mystery with critical05's install). What they will do if riding on them is make the ride very stiff over rough pavement, and feel like you are bottoming out all the time.

If you can do it you'd need to take a wheel off, put a jack or block under the hub, lower the car w/o the wheel to normal level, and see if the stop is compressed inside the spring (touching the inside of the strut hat and top of strut body). This is admittedly hard to do.

It's lower because you put in lowering springs. Bump stops are compressible foam, they should not affect the overall drop all that much even if you are riding on them (which is the mystery with critical05's install). What they will do if riding on them is make the ride very stiff over rough pavement, and feel like you are bottoming out all the time.

If you can do it you'd need to take a wheel off, put a jack or block under the hub, lower the car w/o the wheel to normal level, and see if the stop is compressed inside the spring (touching the inside of the strut hat and top of strut body). This is admittedly hard to do.

I'll say. It's tight in there! i was just outside and turned the wheel so I can get my hand up and in there and when I pushed in with my finger on the boot I could feel the strut rod but no bump stop. I continued to do that further up to see where I would start to feel the bumpstop but nothing. I'm guessing its not riding on it.

On a side note, I've driven this for about 100 miles now and I've gone over several speed bumps as well as other bumps on the road and it never felt like it was bottomed out. very smoth compared to my OEM setup with RFTs...

I'll say. It's tight in there! i was just outside and turned the wheel so I can get my hand up and in there and when I pushed in with my finger on the boot I could feel the strut rod but no bump stop. I continued to do that further up to see where I would start to feel the bumpstop but nothing. I'm guessing its not riding on it.

On a side note, I've driven this for about 100 miles now and I've gone over several speed bumps as well as other bumps on the road and it never felt like it was bottomed out. very smoth compared to my OEM setup with RFTs...

Hate to ask you this but are you sure you put the stops back in? They fit inside the boot up near the top and you should definitely be able to feel them up there.

Yeah I'm positive I put them back in. I know this because there's this metal ferrule that goes into the bumpstop which keeps it alighned

OK then critcal05 must not have let his car settle first, there is no other explanation that I can think of to explain the difference in your 2 experiences. If so it may be the case that trimming the bump stops was not necessary.